Sandgren
moved to approve the University Committee minutes for March 23, 2020. The
motion was seconded and approved.

Kirsten
Wolf reported that she attended many meetings in regards to the Pass/Fail
policy for the current semester. A fail means the student will not receive credit
for the course. Students with Ds or Fs would receive a fail if they opt to take
that option. The UC had many questions.

Jack
O’Meara with PROFS reported that a new revenue estimate from the Legislative
Fiscal Bureau is due at the end of April.

Steve
Ventura reported on an initiative to add language into tenure guidelines for
diversity and community engaged scholarship. Steve and Earlise Ward attended the
all divisional meeting in late February to present the idea, and committees are
looking at incorporating the language into their revised guidelines for next
year. The language isn’t intended to be a requirement but rather give
recognition to activities in these areas. It was suggested that this
information be shared with the Faculty Senate in May.

The
University Committee discussed the logistics of electronic voting for a Senate
meeting held through videoconferencing to give some guidance to the Office of
the Secretary of the Faculty.

The
University Committee reviewed and supports the latest draft of the promotion to
full professor section to be added to Faculty
Policies and Procedures (7.18).

Chancellor
Rebecca Blank reported that she has been awestruck by the effort of the faculty
and instructional staff to get courses online and operating: 99.9% were online
as of last Wednesday. Efforts are now pivoted towards making sure that as many classes
are operating effectively. She suggested faculty send out a brief survey to
students asking for feedback in real time. The university is purchasing a
software tool that will allow for exam proctoring.

UW-Madison
is collecting information on the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic to the
university. If the university returns to normal operations in June, the
estimated cost is $100 million. Federal legislation last week allocates some
money to schools with 50% of the amount to go to students and the other half to
institutions. UW-Madison is estimated to receive a total of $19 million with
half of that amount going to students. The legislation also expanded FMLA with
an offset of costs to private institutions, but not to public institutions.

Employees
were provided with 80 hours of COVID-19 leave that can be used by who don’t
have to work and can’t telecommute as well as employees who become ill or need
to stay home to take care of children. Other human resources decisions will be
communicated as soon as possible.

Fewer
than 600 students have been consolidated into four dorms to make space for quarantined
students and first responders. The Lowell Center is being used by the state for
those with symptoms but no place to isolate.

There
will be an announcement soon about summer camps, student orientation and summer
term.

Two
staff members have tested positive to COVID-19, but no students living on
campus. There are students off campus and at their homes who have tested
positive following spring break trips.

Sandgren moved to convene in closed session pursuant
to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(c) and (f) to discuss a tenure clock extension and
personnel matters. The motion was seconded and passed at 2:38. The UC approved
one tenure clock extension.

Wolf moved to convene in open session which was
seconded at 3:04 when Chair Warfield adjourned the meeting.